Why Pretoria can’t handle national matric exam printing, costs revealed

The Education Department has come out to clarify its costs and why it does not use the Government Printing Works (GPW) in Pretoria CBD to ensure all matriculants nationwide are serviced with question papers.

The clarification comes as it was alleged by a media house that about eight provinces had outsourced the printing of documents administered for matriculation processes to private printing companies instead of using the GPW.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) says printing October/November matric question papers amounts to about R220-million.

It added that the Pretoria-based GPW facility is not the most convenient to print matric documents, as the arrangement is not ideal for servicing other provincial education departments (PEDs).

This is because the GPW provides a service to the entire government.

Government Printing Works (GPW) is a government component reporting to the Department of Home Affairs that specializes in security printing of important national documents such as passports, visas, birth certificates, green ID books, smart card identification ID, examination materials, and general government printing such as stationery and publications such as government gazettes

According to Basic Education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga, the GPW in its current structure cannot print secure question papers for all nine provincial education departments.

“This capacity can be extended with time but the reality is that it is also a major risk for all national question papers to be printed at one venue in the country.”

Explaining the costs, Mhlanga, said it costs the government between R3 800 and R4 000 per candidate writing seven subjects, to administer the October/November National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, as a whole.

“In 2024, 727 121 full-time candidates are writing seven subjects or more. If we multiply the candidates by R4 000 the total is R2.9- billion.

“In addition, there are 155 215 part-time candidates who write one, two, three or more subjects in an examination. Adding the R2.9- billion to the estimated cost for the 155 215 part-time candidates, it amounts to R3.6-billion.

“This is not just the cost of printing question papers, which is but one cost driver in the examination process.”

The total estimated cost covers the following examination processes:

– Setting, moderation and printing of question papers.
– Transport and storage
– Security
– Marking, which includes remuneration for markers, accommodation, travel and meals
and venue costs.
– Maintenance and enhancements to the Examination Computer system.
– Printing and distribution of statement of results.

Mhlanga said currently there was no national procurement directive which compelled its PEDs or the DBE to print with GPW as the preferred provider.

“There is no national instruction issued to PEDs as to who they use as their service providers. PEDs are independent entities that have a responsibility to print national question papers and they will undertake their own process of procuring a service provider for printing following the stipulated national procurement process.

“The DBE provides the PED with the standard operating procedures for the printing and packing of question papers and who they finally appoint as the printing service provider is the decision of the accounting officer,” Mhlanga explained.

“One of the PEDs currently prints its NSC question papers with GPW, given that it lacks an in-house printing facility, and this has been the arrangement for a number of years.”

He said PEDs preferred to have in-house printing facilities which allowed them to manage the process more closely.

“Hence, printing in Pretoria at GPW is not the most convenient arrangement for most PEDs. In 2021, two additional PEDs printed their national question papers at GPW. This arrangement to remotely manage the printing and packing of their question papers proved cumbersome and risky and therefore these two PEDs had to revert to their own printing arrangements in the province, to allow direct control and management.”

Mhlanga said however the department was in continuous discussion with GPW to explore options of using it more extensively in the printing of question papers and also investigating the digitalisation of question papers.

The Public Servants Association (PSA) in a media statement said it had learned with shock that the printing of Grade-12 question papers has been outsourced at a cost of more than R2.6-billion, despite the GPW being fully capable of executing this task.

The PSA condemns the decision and questions why the government would not trust its own institution and opt to use private service providers at a vast amount whilst constantly pleading poverty when it comes to salary increases for its employees. This expenditure raises serious concerns about fiscal responsibility and the prioritisation of public funds.

“The reason presented for the decision was the prevention of paper leaks. This points to inefficiency at the GPW owing to incompetent management. Funds allocated to this outsourcing could have been used to enhance educational infrastructure, retain much-needed teachers, and improve learning conditions for learners. Rather, an opportunity was created to dip into the public purse as there is no logical explanation on how such astronomical costs were approved,” the association said.

“The PSA calls for a forensic investigation into this matter”.

The PSA has urged the Minister of Basic Education to take the public in confidence and share how such a decision was made to outsource the printing of exam papers and provide reasons for GPW not being responsible for printing Grade-12 question papers.

“If there are problems with control measures at the GPW, incompetent managers must be removed to ensure that the squandering of South African taxpayers’ money is stopped,” it said.

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